Downtown Auroran Magazine ~ Summer 2014

Thanks for picking up an issue of the “Best of Aurora!” We are so excited to bring you what our readers have decided are the best picks for restaurants, hair salons, parks, festivals, and more.

Our method was simple; we put up an online survey and shared it on Facebook, as well as via email. We are grateful for the many responses, and the winners are taken directly from the online survey. We checked and rechecked the votes, and we are proud to share the results with you.

I hope that you will hold onto this issue and use it as a resource when guests come to town, or when you are looking to try out a new restaurant or mechanic.

As the second largest city in the state, Aurora has a lot to offer and many places to explore. I encourage you to diverge from your common path and visit a shop or a museum in Aurora this weekend.

Aurora is rich with fun activities, delectable food options, talented artists and musicians, and architectural delights. Perhaps this issue will help you get reacquainted with the City of Lights.

Whether you live in Aurora or periodically enjoy its big city appeal, I want you to enjoy the best of Aurora.

See you downtown!

Downtown Auroranwww.downtownauroran.wordpress.com

Publisher and Editor Marissa Amoni

Graphic Design and Printing Kelmscott Communications

Copy Editors Tony Scott Max Balding

Contributors Frank Patterson

Advertising and Submissions: E-mail [email protected]. Fall Issue deadline: September 5.

On the Cover: The Best of Aurora by Mike Mancuso

Downtown Auroran (DTA) is a local, independent operation. We promote and support local arts and culture while advocating for a vibrant downtown.

DTA is published quarterly, and over 2,000 copies are distributed free of charge throughout downtown and select locations in the Aurora area. Share it and recycle it, or add it to your collection. #dtamag

Join us on Facebook! Fall Issue 2014 is available in October.

Please support the businesses that support us. Keep it local!

Copyrighted 2014

DiningFamily FunMuseumsArchitecture

Summer! View our online itineraries for staycation ideas. EnjoyAurora.com

2 Downtown Auroran Summer 2014

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cover story

Artist Prof i lepage 11

Historical Notes page 13

4 comic

5 locust report

6 cover story

11 artist profile

13 historical notes

15 recipe

17 culture shock

page 6

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

By Frank Patterson

Summer 2014 Downtown Auroran 3

A u r o r a n W o r d sHot Tea HaikuBy Naomi SamarisCry out in the air Hot steam fills your kettle up You demand a lotNaomi Samaris is fond of tacos, and she likes music from the early 2000s. Her American dream involves backyard chickens and tall sunflowers.

The Wishing PenniesBy Charlotte Delight VanderlipI often through my wishing pennies look, I see brown gnomes and fairy castles gold; I see flowers, fairies and the brook, But most of all I love the singing of the brook.Charlotte Delight Vanderlip wrote “The Wishing Pennies” on November 21, 1911. Charlotte was the daughter of prominent banker Frank Vanderlip. From the collection of Aurora Historical Society.

Puesta del SolBy Robert Klein EnglerEs la hora del descanso. Las sombras más largas caen por el altiplano. Año tras año he andado estos caminos de polvo. Miro el cielo profundo. El amor, qué abierto. Su corazón, qué cerrado.Robert Klein Engler lives in Des Plaines, Illinois and sometimes New Orleans. Many of Robert’s poems, stories, paintings and photographs are set in New Orleans, the Crescent City. Visit him on the web at RobertKleinEngler.com.


• A storefront is coming soon to The Yetee, the cool in-house t-shirt printing shop at 110 Cross St. Owner Mike Mancuso is prettying up the first floor Yetee Gallery to make room for t-shirt and merchandise displays. The gallery opens up on select evenings for art shows, and is sometimes part of First Fridays in Downtown Aurora. Mancuso wants to print locally-inspired tees and incorporate designs from local artists at the shop. Look for a late summer opening. Visit “Yetee Gallery” on Facebook. theyetee.com

• Restaurant Row update: If Italian food and gelato sound good to you, then keep supporting the businesses currently on West New York Street, and more could follow. But to avoid jumping the gun, the city, the landlords and the private/public partnership are keeping mum at this time with nothing to report. But rest assured that the Row is not being ignored.

• Sylvia Washington is creating a lush paradise outside of her building at 205 W. Galena Blvd. Washington, the owner of Green Buddha Life Sustainability Center, didn’t let space limitations keep her from bringing green things to her building. Passerby can view a three-pallet, tiered, living vertical wall adjacent to the entrance, and she plans on more vertical gardens on the back of the building soon. Washington recently invited local artists to display recycled works of art in the first floor’s eco-arts gallery and hosted an open house on World Environment Day.

• New downtown stores include Most Dope and Vic’s Vapes; both storefronts are located on Broadway and specialize in electronic vaporizers, or e-cigarettes. YM Boutique opened in the beginning of June at 5 W. Downer Place. The boutique specializes in chic apparel and accessories for women.

• It’s been a very busy six months for Seize the Future Development Foundation. The public/private partnership will continue focusing on downtown development and growth with the recently approved Downtown Finish Line Grant Program, a streamlined grant program overseen by Seize the Future. Eligible properties will be mixed-use, with commercial space on the first floor and residential on upper floors. Grants for twenty percent of the rehabilitation cost up to $75,000 will be available. The annual budget for the grant program is $500,000 and the program will run through June 2018. Contact Ashley Sarver for more information at [email protected].

• The Elks Club building is ready for its close-up. After eliciting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the Mayan-inspired downtown landmark, Seize the Future said they received three proposals (one from Aurora Cultural Creatives, and two from private developers). The applicants now have until the end of August to submit proof of funding and finalized development plans for the building at Stolp Avenue and Benton Street. The Elks Club is currently being used by the Paramount Theatre for its second-story grand ballroom, which they have repurposed into rehearsal space. Ballet Folklorico also practices on the building’s ground floor.

• New library update: With the new library opening less than a year away, the pieces (and walls) are quickly falling into place. An entrance on Lake Street is now being planned on a parcel of land currently occupied by ice cream trucks. Superhero Seize the Future came in to save the day and assisted the city with

Reporting the News and Gossip in Downtown Aurorathe acquisition of the land owned by Curbside Limited. The longtime Aurora company is moving to 260 S. Highland Ave. Happy scream for cooperation.

• LaSalle Street update: Jimi Allen’s Gravity Building is undergoing a facelift this summer as façade renovation is underway at the planned coworking space. Allen said that a fall opening date could happen yet. Across the street, Milwaukee-based Dryhootch continues in its fundraising efforts to open a coffee shop, social healing space, and resource center for veterans at 59 S. LaSalle St. They are currently working with an architect to sketch out renovation plans that will include a lighter and brighter space with more natural sunlight and accessible bathrooms. Dryhootch hopes to open its doors sometime this fall. dryhootch.org

• If Water Street Mall is a little shadier this summer, then artist Gaiter Tee’s project to cover the pedestrian walkway with umbrellas was a success. Tee, owner of Rotten Apple Studios in downtown Aurora, went to the city with the colorful idea this spring and quickly started fundraising efforts with Seize the Future lending a hand with the donation collection. The installation is expected to be up all summer long.

• Summer festivals: This is the summer issue, so this is what you need to know. Hang out on Water Street Mall on July 12 for Louche Puce Market, and then come back on July 20 for On the Wall – Blackbooks and Breakbeats, an urban arts festival. Repeat that on August 9 for Louche Puce and August 30 for Alley Art Festival. On August 24, head east to LaSalle Street for their family-friendly Historic Auto Row Car Show, then return to Water Street Mall on September 13 for the last Louche Puce Market of the season. On September 20, join local musicians as they band together at Banding Together III for a good cause at Two Brothers Roundhouse. Visit our online calendar for more.

• Downtown hashtags: #dtaurora #downtownaurora #dta #firstfridaysdta

The Locust Report


They’re the places you can’t live without, the sights

you love to see, the sweet morsels you long to taste,

and the things you tell your friends about. We asked

our readers to vote on the best that Aurora offers

and here are the results. Drum roll, please!

BEST LUNCHWinner: River’s Edge CafeRunner-up: Two Brothers

RoundhouseThird Place: Jake’s Bagels

BEST DINNERWinner: Two Brothers

RoundhouseRunner-up: Ballydoyle

Irish Pub Third Place: Basils Greek

Dining

BEST MEXICANWinners (four-way tie):

Jalisco Taco’s Tecalitlan Mexican Restaurant Pancho’s Family Restaurant La Quebrada Restaurant

Runner-up: La Quinta de los Reyes

Third Place: Taqueria Muniz

BEST PIZZAWinner: Ach-N-Lou’s Pizza PubRunner-up: Doughballs PizzaThird Place (tie):

Gourmet Pizza Spizzico To Go

BEST UPSCALEWinner: Chef Amaury

at 33 WestRunner-up: Two Brothers

RoundhouseThird Place: Luigi’s House

BEST CHINESEWinner: New China HutRunner-up: Hong Kong

RestaurantThird Place: Shan Li’s

BEST DESSERTWinner: Banana Split

(Caramel Cashew Creation)Runner-up: Two Brothers

(Chocolate Cake)Third Place: La France (Flan)

BEST MIXED DRINKWinner: Chef Amaury

at 33 West Runner-up: Ballydoyle

Irish Pub Third Place: La Quinta

de los Reyes

BEST DELIWinner: Prisco’s Fine FoodsRunner-up: Jake’s BagelsThird Place: Reuland’s

BEST GROCERYWinner: Prisco’s Fine FoodsRunner-up: Cermak MarketThird Place: Wurst Kitchen

BEST BREAKFAST TO TAKE GRANDPARENTS

Winner: Mother’s on GalenaRunner-up: Aurora Pancake

HouseThird Place (tie):

Nikarry’s Restaurant Colonial Cafe

BEST BREAKFASTWinner: Aurora Pancake

HouseRunner-up: Jake’s BagelsThird Place: Blueberry Hill

BEST COFFEEWinner: Two Brothers CafeRunner-up: River’s Edge CafeThird Place: Starbucks

BEST PLACE TO DRINK AFTER WORK

Winner: Two Brothers Roundhouse

Runner-up: Ballydoyle Irish Pub

Third Place: The Web Tavern

BEST APPETIZERWinner: Two Brothers

Roundhouse (nachos, pretzel, cheese dip)

Runner-up: Ballydoyle Irish Pub and Restaurant (spinach dip, chips)

Third Place: Don Walker’s Sandwich Center (fried mushrooms)

Eating & Drinking

Amy and Joe Petit River’s Edge Cafe Winner Best Lunch

Chef Amaury at 33 West Winner Best Upscale

Doughballs Runner-up Best Pizza

Two Brothers Roundhouse Winner Best Dinner


Art and Music Scene

ShoppingBEST SPECIALTY STOREWinner: Culture StockRunner-up: Nicole’s Hallmark

and GiftsThird Place: Aroma Roots

BEST THRIFTWinner: Thrift and DollarRunner-up: Community ThriftThird Place: Village Discount

BEST PLACE TO BUY CLOTHESWinner: Chicago Premium

OutletsRunner-up: Carson’s ClearanceThird Place: Westfield Fox

Valley Mall

BEST REASON TO TRAVEL TO TRI-CITIESWinner: Kiss the Sky, BataviaRunner-up: All Chocolate

Kitchen, GenevaThird Place:

Bien Trucha, Geneva

BEST THING ON ORCHARD RDWinner: Panera BreadRunner-up: Home DepotThird Place (tie): Pockets

Starbucks

BEST GALLERYWinner: The ArtBar at Two

Brothers RoundhouseRunner-up: If These Walls

Could TalkThird Place: The Yetee

Gallery

BEST MUSEUMWinner: SciTech Hands On

MuseumRunner-up: William Tanner

House MuseumThird Place: Aurora Regional

Fire Museum

BEST ARTISTWinner: Don PictonRunner-up: CersThird Place: Maureen Gasek

BEST WAY TO SPEND A FRIDAY NIGHTWinner: First Fridays in

Downtown AuroraRunner-up: Music at Two

Brothers RoundhouseThird Place: Music at

Ballydoyle Irish Pub

BEST MUSICIAN OR BANDWinner: CattleprodRunner-up: The Kevin TrudoThird Place: Andrea Dawn

ServicesBEST PLACE TO GET A HAIRCUTWinner: Big Boss (men) Calla

Lily Salon (women)Runner-up: Hair Cuttery (men)

Sculpted Image (women)Third Place: Great Clips (men)

Hair Cuttery (women)

BEST PLACE TO GET PAMPEREDWinner: Calla Lily Salon, Spa

and Victorian Tea RoomRunner-up: Sculpted ImageThird Place (tie): Queen Nails The Skin You’re In

BEST FITNESSWinner: Vaughn Athletic

CenterRunner-up: Annie’s Om Towne

FitnessThird Place: Aurora Yoga

Center

BEST MECHANICWinners (four-way tie): Paul & Bill’s Service CenterWhitt Brothers GarageBoys Motor Car ServicesA C Automotive Services

Don Picton Winner Best Artist

Culture Stock Winner Best Specialty Store

Kiss the Sky Winner Best Reason to Travel to Tri-Cities

Cattleprod Winner Best Band


City Life

Reader SubmissionsOur Picks

BEST PLACE TO FIND A HIPSTERWinner: Two Brothers

RoundhouseRunner-up: Culture StockThird Place: Downtown

Aurora Arts Mixer (DAAM)

BEST LANDMARKWinner: Leland TowerRunner-up: Paramount TheatreThird Place: Northgate sign

BEST ARCHITECTUREWinner: Paramount TheatreRunner-up: Elks Club BuildingThird Place: West Side homes

BEST WAY TO SPEND A SATURDAYWinner: Thrift storesRunner-up: TrailsThird Place: Farmers Market

BEST PLACE FOR DOGSWinner: Lincoln ParkRunner-up: Fox River TrailThird Place: Phillips Park

BEST THING TO DO WITH TODDLERSWinner: SciTech Hands

On MuseumRunner-up: Blackberry FarmThird Place: Phillips Park

BEST THING TO DO WITH TEENAGERSWinner: Roller Derby at

Aurora Skate CenterRunner-up:

Classic Movie Monday at Paramount Theatre

Third Place: Luigi’s Pizza

BEST SPORTING EVENT TO PARTICIPATE Winner: Roller Derby at

Aurora Skate CenterRunner-up: Mid-American

Canoe and Kayak RaceThird Place: Color Vibe 5K at

RiverEdge Park

BEST FESTIVALWinner: Blues on the FoxRunner-up: Two Brothers

Summer FestivalThird Place: Alley Art Festival

BEST THING TO DO WITH VISITORSWinner: Paramount TheatreRunner-up: Architectural TourThird Place: Two Brothers

Roundhouse

BEST PARKWinner: Phillips ParkRunner-up: Lincoln ParkThird Place: Jericho Park

BEST DYNAMIC DUO: Tim Rater and Jim Corti at

Paramount Theatre

BEST PLACE TO HULA HOOP: Water Street Mall in

Downtown Aurora

BEST HIDDEN PARK: New Haven Park

BEST PUBLIC SCULPTURE: Isaac2 (aka Swimming Stones)

BEST LIVE MUSIC: Music Mondays at

Culture Stock

BEST DOWNTOWN STOREFRONT REMODEL: VARA Design

BEST PLACE TO BUY EGGS: Ed & Judie’s Egg Farm

BEST BAGELS: Jake’s Bagels

BEST POPCORN: Kenny Corn

BEST LIVE THEATER: Paramount Theatre

BEST SUSHI: Momoya

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD:Tanner District

BEST DOUGHNUTS: Harner’s Bakery

BEST KARAOKE: Miss Lee’s Lounge

VARA Design

Leland Tower Winner Best Landmark

Blues on the Fox Winner Best Festival

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“ I’m a fan of the shock factor.”

self-taught except for a couple of classes here and there. She laughs that her friends think of her first when they see a dead carcass on the road.

“I’m a fan of the shock factor,” she said with a smile.

The shock value in Anomaly’s art is working for her, too. It got her a gig designing cat urns for Artisurn.com, an online urn company

that features handcrafted urns for people and pets. Anomaly also continues to build up her niche market

with the artwork she shows monthly at The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse and elsewhere.

She saw firsthand how many kindred spirits she has at this year’s Convergence 20, a goth convention in Chicago. Anomaly was part of the crowd instead of standing out. “I’m kind of used to being the weird one,” she laughed.

Anomaly continues to seek out what is “weird” or “gross” and metamorphosing the once living

into art. Whether it is an animal skull mounted to a piece of carved wood, or a small heart pendant

molded out of clay, Anomaly’s art is compelling and her fantastically dark pieces take on a life of their

own.

“It’s my passion,” she said. “(Art) gives me purpose. Creating things gives me purpose.”

Anomaly designed The ArtBar poster for June’s Freak Show. Keep up with Roz Anomaly’s art on her Facebook page “Roz’s Oddities.”

DTA Profile: Roz AnomalyInterview by Marissa Amoni

Artist Profi le

My artwork is very chaotic,” said Roz Anomaly when I sat down with her in the courtyard at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora.

Anomaly, of Aurora, has been on my radar since the very first Alley Art Festival in 2010.

Anomaly, 28, has participated in every Alley Art Festival since, and although she has graduated from cutely sinister hair bows for young girls to decoratively creepy urns

and bone jewelry, I know I can always count on Anomaly’s effervescent personality and maybe even her horned black top hat.

Anomaly’s friendliness might seem to contradict her dark artistic style, but she said she’s always been interested in “darker things.”

Anomaly grew up loving Barbies and dinosaurs, and she would draw animals and “strange or creepy monster things.” But after her mom died when Anomaly was 14, she said, “Art was my savior.”

Anomaly, who lived with her dad growing up, said she was hugely inspired by her dad’s affinity for horror movies and heavy metal music. And her pet cat that would bring in dead birds can be credited for her developing an interest in animal bones, fur, feathers and blood.

Anomaly spent her spring vacation digging up a deer carcass that she buried in the woods by her 70-year-old aunt’s house in Arkansas.

“It’s become a fascination,” Anomaly said of her somewhat recent hobby of animal preservation. She is admittedly not squeamish and she is almost completely

“ I’m a fan of the shock factor.”


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LluviaBy Alice DuBois

Alice DuBois lives in Geneva amongst a grove of old oak trees with her boyfriend, artist Timothy Campbell, and their cat Little Behemoth; they moved from Evanston to be near nature and bike trails. DuBois recently had a solo show at Limestone Coffee and Tea in Batavia. Her favorite Akira Kurosawa movie is “High and Low.” And favorite artists include R.B. Kitaj, Roberto Matta, and her boyfriend.


On a Monday night, you can still catch a movie in downtown Aurora.

At 7 p.m. on most Mondays, the Paramount Theater at 23 E. Galena Blvd. shows classic films as part of its Classic Movie Monday series. The films shown have included such greats as To Kill a Mockingbird, The French Connection, Lawrence of Arabia, Cooley High and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, as well as cult favorites The Goonies and The Breakfast Club.

The Paramount may be the perfect place to see a movie. The admission, at just $1, is affordable for almost anyone. One can munch on popcorn or candy treats from the concession stand and sip a soda or even a beer while watching the film.

And the historic theater is magnificent.

Not too long ago, locals could catch a movie at one of the many movie houses in downtown Aurora.

The downtown theaters were all within a couple blocks of each other, with the Paramount and the Tivoli on Galena Boulevard and the Isle around the corner on Stolp Avenue.

The Paramount was by all accounts, the grandest of all, but the others were also very popular.

The ParamountBuilt by visionary J. J. Rubens, the Paramount was originally to be called “The Venetian,” as it was to incorporate Venetian elements within its Art Deco decor.

Rubens hired nationally-renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp to design the theater, but prior to construction,

The Aurora Theater Company was purchased by the Paramount-Famous-Lasky Corporation, and the exotic name was dropped in favor of the one we all know today.

The $1 million dollar building -- the first in Illinois outside of Chicago to feature air conditioning -- opened on September 3, 1931, with much fanfare. Dignitaries were in attendance, an organist was flown in, and telegrams poured in from Paramount Studio stars, including Claudette Colbert, Sylvia Sydney and Janet Gaynor.

The theater served as a movie theater for decades.

Frank Musaraca, of Las Vegas, remembers seeing “Blackboard Jungle” there. During the scene in which the song “Rock Around the Clock” plays, the “kids” in the audience danced in the aisles to the annoyance of the ushers.

Jodeen Gates-Simmons recalls, “On Saturdays, there would be raffles on your ticket numbers and you could win things. I won a giant Slo-Poke once, and I remember I was too shy to go get it in front of everyone, so a kid from our neighborhood went up and got it for me.”

The decades eventually took their toll on the theater. By the mid-seventies, the murals on the walls had faded and dirt and grime had built up.

In 1976, the Paramount was purchased by the Aurora Civic Center Authority and the firm of D’Escoto and Associates was hired to oversee its restoration. Conrad Schmitt Studios restored the theater’s interior to its original grandeur, working from black and white photographs.

The completely restored Paramount Arts Centre, now a performing arts center, reopened on April 28, 1978.

Downtown TheatresBy Frank Patterson

Historical Notes

The Paramount Theatre opened in 1931 in downtown Aurora.

Continued on page 14


The TivoliThe Tivoli at 35 W. Galena Blvd. was built after the disastrous Rialto Theater fire of 1928. The Tivoli opened that same year, and, like the Paramount, was designed by the Rapp brothers.

A 1937 article on local theaters states that when built, “it was thoroughly modern, fire proof and comfortable in every way, but its 1,200 seats were insufficient to meet the swelling patronage.” It was also the first local theater built with the capabilities of showing the new sound films: “the Tivoli was the first theater, not only in Aurora, but in the Fox Valley to be equipped with reproduction machines that exhibited thenew sound films clearly and naturally.”

After the Rialto Theater burned, the Sylvandell Bowling Lanes (previously in the basement of the Sylvandell building) moved to basement of the Tivoli Theater building.

On the second floor of the Tivoli building, above the lobby, was the Stardust Ballroom. In the 1960s, it featured popular entertainers like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong; in the early 1970s, bands like Styx frequented the place.

In the late 1970s, Spanish language films were shown there. The theater closed in 1981 and was demolished in 1983. Some of the decorative terra cotta piers can be seen in Mundy Park, the downtown park that lies between the Water Street Mall and Broadway.

The IsleThe Isle at 21 S. Stolp Ave. was a smaller theater, with seating for about 780. It opened in either 1937 or 1938 in the former Moose Building, and had a small balcony with a large lobby as well as a free standing box office.

In the late 1970s, it switched programming from English language to Spanish-language films.

The Isle closed in 1983 and was razed five years later. Millennium Plaza now stands in its place.

The Fox The Fox Theatre, 24-28 E. Downer Pl., opened in 1910 as a 1,800-seat theater for silent movies and live vaudeville shows. In 1915, Fox Theatre owners Frank Thielen and Jules J. Rubens opened the Sylvandell Dance Hall, adjoining the Fox Theatre to the north, with an entrance on what is today Galena Boulevard.

In 1919, the owners undertook a major remodeling project, converting the Sylvandell Dance Hall into the 2,250-seat Rialto Theatre. The Fox Theatre was also improved at this time, and the buildings along Downer Place were united with a new façade.

The Rialto Theatre was destroyed by fire in October 1928; the Fox Theatre was condemned and demolished in 1930, and in place of both theaters, the Paramount, “The Showplace of the Fox River Valley,” opened in September 1931.

The New Fox Theatre opened in 1936 on the site of the old Aurora City Mills at 54 E. Galena Blvd. (currently where Aurora Fastprint is located). It was another Rubens venture, part of the Great States Theater chain that included the Paramount, Tivoli, and Fox. It closed in 1951 and was converted to commercial use.

Briefly, there were several other downtown theaters in the early days, but one was especially prominent in the mid-1920s. The Strand movie theater, at Broadway and Benton Street, opened in 1915. It was converted from the old Grand Opera House (built in 1891). About a year after the Rialto fire, The Strand burned down in October 1929.

A New EraToday, the Paramount Theater is again an attraction. Its Broadway Series brings people from all over Chicagoland to downtown Aurora.

The Paramount is also the only place in Aurora where the public can regularly view a motion picture on the big screen today. All the local movie theaters seem to be just beyond our city limits.

But for a couple of hours on a Monday night, movie fans can reminisce about the days that film took center stage in downtown Aurora.

Editor’s note: A special thanks to Cathy Cutter and her son Bruce for their research, and always to John Jaros and the Aurora Historical Society for their vast knowledge and good record keeping.

Historical Notes: Downtown TheatresContinued...

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Garden Vegetable HummusContributed by The Reluctant Hippie

Whether you pronounce it “hoo-mus” or “hum-mus,” you’ve likely enjoyed this Mediterranean treat. The chickpea (or garbanzo bean) delicatessen is enjoyed by all no matter how you say it, and it’s high in protein and a great source of iron and vitamin C, as well as folate and B6.

This summer, head down to Aurora’s Farmers Market and grab a few veggies for this delicious and healthful treat. Enjoy it with bread from Katic Breads or Great Harvest Bread Company; both have booths at the market.

Ingredients:• 2 cups chickpeas, cooked to tender

or canned. Drain, but reserve liquid.• 1/4 cup cooked carrot• 1/4 cup caramelized onion• 1/4 cup sautéed or roasted red pepper• 1/2 cup tahini• 1/4 cup olive oil• 1 small clove garlic• 1 teaspoon ground cumin• Juice of 1 lemon• Pinch of salt• Pinch of freshly ground pepper• Sriracha sauce, to taste.

Directions:Keep the chickpea water to the side. Puree the rest in a food processor, adding chickpea water as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Kate Purl whips up creative and healthful recipes for her family of four on a regular basis and chronicles the fun on her blog: thereluctanthippie.wordpress.com.

Triune HeartBy Sondra SulaSondra Sula is an Aurora artist who recently wrote about her conversations with God in “Dialogues with the Divine.” The book covers her conversations with God over a 10-year period. Many of the images that Sula paints come to her from her spiritual practices. Sula recently showed work at the Earth Day Artifacts Show at Culture Stock in downtown Aurora.

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DmitriBy Chris Evans

Chris Evans, of Aurora, had his first solo show at The Yetee Gallery in June. His Wes Anderson-themed art show included favorites like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman. Evans is well known locally for his blind contour drawings.

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JULY4TH OF JULY PARADEFri July 4 at 10 Watch the streets of downtown come alive in a sea of red, white, and blue. Step off at River and Benton streets. aurora-il.org

4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND FIREWORKSFri July 4 from 5 to 10 Celebrate the 4th with plenty of festivities at RiverEdge Park or McCullough Park in Aurora. Free. aurora-il.org

LOUCHE PUCE FLEA MARKETSat July 12 from 9 to 3 Second Saturdays bring vendors of all things cool to the pedestrian brick alley known as Water Street Mall. Peruse antiques, collectibles, and more. Water Street Mall between Downer and Galena. [email protected]

ON THE WALL – BLACKBOOKS AND BREAKBEATSSun July 20 from noon to 6 A daytime, outdoor celebration of hip hop culture produced by Aurora Cultural Creatives and Them Bad Apples. Water Street Mall, auroraculturalcreatives.com

STORYTIME AT THE CAFEMon July 21 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing, and fun, plus a free cookie. Free. No reg. needed. River’s Edge Cafe, 18 W. Downer. aurorapubliclibrary.org

AURORA PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL AND PARADESat July 26 & Sun July 27 at 11 Celebrate over 40 years of Puerto Rican pride! Parade is Sunday at noon at Benton and Broadway. RiverEdge Park. (630) 631-9270. auroraprcc.org

AUGUSTDOWNTOWN ALIVE! AMERICAN ENGLISHFri Aug 1 at 7 A must-see Beatles cover band that always wows the crowd. $3. RiverEdge Park. riveredgeaurora.com

TEEN TALENT SHOW COMPETITIONSat Aug 9 at 2 6th annual teen talent show sponsored by Aurora Public Library. Free. Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. aurorapubliclibrary.com

LOUCHE PUCE FLEA MARKETSat Aug 9 from 9 to 3 Second Saturdays bring vendors of all things cool to the pedestrian brick alley known as Water Street Mall. Peruse antiques, collectibles, and more. Water Street Mall between Downer and Galena. [email protected]

STORYTIME AT THE CAFEMon Aug 18 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing, and fun, plus a free treat. Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 18 W. Downer.

AUTO ROW CAR SHOWSun Aug 25 from 11 to 3 Annual auto show on historic LaSalle Street open to cars 1975 and older. Spectators free. LaSalle St. between Benton St. and Downer Pl. lasalle-auto-row.org

ALLEY (ART) FESTIVALSat Aug 30 from noon to 5 Amazing summer art spectacular. Local art, music, performances and more. Open to everyone. Free. Water Street Mall between Downer Pl. and Galena Blvd. next to City Hall. Alley Art Festival on Facebook.

ROOTS AURORASun Aug 31 from 1to 8 A celebration of many cultures with food, music, art and more. $3. RiverEdge Park. riveredgeaurora.com

SEPTEMBERFIESTAS PATRIASSat 13 & Sun 14. Parade at 11 on Sunday A two-day music festival recognizing our local Hispanic heritage and culture. Free. RiverEdge Park. Fiestas Patrias Aurora on Facebook.

LOUCHE PUCE FLEA MARKETSat Sept 13 from 9 to 3 Second Saturdays bring vendors of all things cool to the pedestrian brick alley known as Water Street Mall. Peruse antiques, collectibles, and more. Water Street Mall between Downer and Galena. [email protected]

BANDING TOGETHER IIISat Sept 20 at 7:30 A musical event benefiting the A Plus Foundation for West Aurora Schools. Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway.

OTHER WORLD COMIC CONSat Sept 27 and Sun Sept 28 at 10 Aurora’s first comic convention brought to you by Rotten Apple Studios. $10 day pass/$15 weekend pass. North Island Center, 8 E. Galena Blvd.

LIMITED RUNS & SHOWINGSJAZZ OCCURENCEThru Aug 23 Aurora Public Art Commission presents an impressive lineup of visual artists inspired by creative music on the third floor of The DLP. Open Wed-Sat, noon to 4. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E.Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurora-il.org

THE AURORA STORYContinuing The Aurora Historical Society exhibit on the 2nd floor of The DLP tells the history of Aurora with vintage treasures and more. Open Wed-Sat, noon to 4. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E.Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurorahistory.net

ART AT CITY HALL: MIDWEST COLLAGE SOCIETYThru Jan 15 Aurora’s City Hall features works of art on every floor in various mediums. Open Mon-Fri, 8 to 5. City Hall, 44 E. Downer Pl. aurora-il.org

RIVERFRONT PLAYHOUSE: SQUIRREL LAKEAug 1 thru Sept 6 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 Riverfront Playhouse, 11-13 Water Street Mall, is a 90-seat, not-for-profit, community theatre located next to City Hall on the Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora. $15-$17. (630) 897-9496. Reservations recommended. riverfrontplayhouse.com

ONGOING EVENTSM.U.S.I.C. MONDAYSMondays from 6 to 7 Local musicians perform in the bookstore. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. M.U.S.I.C. on Facebook.

CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAYSMondays at 7 Great, classic movies on most Mondays. $1. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com

AURORA LANGUAGE TABLEWednesdays from 6 to 7 Practice English and Spanish in an informal setting. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. Culture Stock on Facebook.

STORY AND CRAFT TIMEThursdays at 10:30 Stories for little ones and a craft, too. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. Culture Stock on Facebook.

DAAM!First Thursday of the month at 8 Join artists of all kinds at the informal Downtown Aurora Arts Mixers. Chef Amaury at 33 West, 33 W. New York St. Sponsored by Downtown Auroran Magazine. downtownauroran.wordpress.com

FIRST FRIDAYS IN DOWNTOWN AURORA: AUG 1 & SEPT 5First Friday of the month at 6 Art is alive in downtown Aurora. Enjoy several art openings replete with food, music and drinks in one glorious night. Various venues in downtown, including If These Walls Could Talk, Paramount’s Grand Gallery, VARA Design & Studio, The Yetee Gallery, Allen and Pepa Architects, The DLP, and The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse. auroradowntown.com

Culture Shock

Need more art & culture?

Visit: downtownauroran.wordpress.com and click on the calendar tab for an updated list of events.


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SECOND SATURDAYS • SUMMER 2014

July 12 • Aug 9 • Sept 13


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We’re passionate about the clients and communities we serve. We feel it’s important to take a deep breath and focus on what’s important in life. That’s why Old Second values any opportunity to support the arts in our community.

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

Downtown Auroran Magazine ~ Summer 2014

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Transcript of Downtown Auroran Magazine ~ Summer 2014